Embracing The Weird: How Quirky Outreach Built a Copywriting Business with Helen Carrie

What happens when the industry you’ve worked in for a decade gets shut down overnight? In this episode, host Steve Folland chats with Helen Carrie to talk through her complete freelance overhaul when COVID hit.    Helen worked in UK television production: traveling the world, interviewing celebrities; before the pandemic brought it all to a stop. Forced to evaluate her skills, she decided to try her hand at writing, starting at the very bottom.    Over a five-year gradual transition, Helen phased out TV production and built a thriving, sustainable B2B copywriting business focusing on brand copy, executive ghostwriting, and conversion copy. Keen to keep her skills and clients diverse to protect herself.  In this honest, funny, and practical conversation, Helen reveals the exact numbers behind her cold pitch strategy, how being intentionally "weird" on LinkedIn transformed her client base, and why setting boundaries gave her a much better quality of life.  In this episode of the Being Freelance podcast, Helen shares: - **The reality of TV "freelancing"** – Why traditional television production contracts often trap self-employed creatives in high-burnout, all-consuming feast-and-famine cycles rather than offering true flexibility. - **Rebuilding a creative career from scratch** – How an industry-wide shutdown forced a 5-year pivot from TV into B2B copywriting, starting with content mills paying fractions of a penny per word. - **The power of "weird" cold outreach** – Why sending highly personalised, quirky connection requests and emails generated a reliable 1% conversion rate to build her client base. - **Finding your authentic voice on LinkedIn** – Moving past corporate posting habits to turn social media into a steady inbound client lead generator. - **Securing recurring revenue with retainers** – Smart strategies for structuring ongoing client work, from fixed monthly project fees to quarterly brand strategy reviews. - **Beating the "bad boss" mindset** – Practical advice for us busy being our own boss, on setting firm boundaries, taking time off, and designing a business around your life instead of your life around your business. Website>  B2B Copywriter Helen Carrie **JOIN THE COMMUNITY** You're not alone being freelance. Come and hang out with your BFFs (Being Freelance Friends). beingfreelance.com/community   **NEW TO FREELANCING? THERE'S A COURSE FOR YOU!** The Being Freelance course is made for you! Take the course and you'll also get 6 months FREE community membership.   **FREELANCER MERCH** Get Being Freelance merchandise at beingfreelance.com/shop **Like VIDEO?** - Check out the Being Freelance on: Instagram - Instagram.com/beingfreelance YouTube - YouTube.com/SteveFolland Being Freelance is hosted and created by freelance podcast editor Steve Folland.